Political Taste as a Marker of Class: A Bourdieu Approach to the Study of Public Opinion Formation

In: World political science, Volume 1, Issue 2

Abstract

Even rough groupings of individuals according to education and occupation reveal marked differences in opinions. What explains the relation between position in the social structure and political views? Building on the work of French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu's theory on social praxis and his three-dimensional class concept, the article answers this question. A Bourdieu-inspired analysis reveals larger social differences in opinion formation than previous studies. Even within an apparently homogenous group of political science students there are clear and systematic differences in opinions that can be traced back to the individual student's social background. The article also shows that the ability to articulate an opinion is socially conditioned.